Car-coupling



Patented July 26, |898.

V. ERBACH.

CAR CDUPLING.

' (Application led ct. 14, 1897.)

(No Model.)

WWA/5355s f A TTOHNE YS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 608,112,` dated July 26,` 1898. Applicationled October 14, 1897. Serial No. 655,144. (No model.)

' To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

' Be it known that I, VALENTINE ERBAOH, of Scranton, in thecounty of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a car-coupler of the knuckle type-and to so construct the coupler that it will be of less dimensions than ordinary knuckle-couplers, will not present any unnecessary projections from its side surfaces, and will be simple, durable, and economic,

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will be automatic in coupling, and, furthermore, to provide a means whereby an uncoupling may be expeditiously, conveniently, and positively effected.

The invention consists in the novel construction and. combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of opposing couplers in coupled position, the draw-bar of one of the couplers and a portion of the drawhead being in section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through one of the draw-bars of a coupler and a plan view of opposing couplers in coupled position. Fig. 3 isa horizontal section taken on the linel 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the draw-heads, parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical side elevation of a draw-head, illustrating a modiiied form of releasing-lever; and Fig. 7 is a transverse section through a draw-head, illustrating a further modification in the form of the releasing-lever.

The draw-head A is provided with two for- Wardly-projecting horns 10 and 11, each horn formingaside portion of the draw-head. The horn 10 is of greater length than the hornll, and the surface connecting the two horns is more or less concaved, as shown at 12 in the drawings. The shorter horn 1l is more or less pointed, but the longer horn is somewhat blunt and is provided about midway of its inner side with a shoulder 13. 'lhedrawhead is also provided with the usual inner chamber.

A knuckle 14 is pivoted in the chamber of the draw-head between the upper and lower surfaces of the longer horn lO, the pivot-pin l5 being passed from the `top of the drawhead through the knuckle and out through the bottom of said draw-head, the pivot-pin being preferably made removable. The knuckle is normally entirely within the drawhead, enabling the draw-head to be made `quite narrow, and the said knuckle 14 is pro vided with an eye extension through which the pivot-pin 15 passes. The knuckleis also provided at its upper portion with a hori zontal lug 17, form ed at its rear end as shown in Fig. 4. The eye extension or pivot portion of the knuckle 14 has its under face inclined or rendered slightly spiral, as shown at 18 in Fig. 4, the inclined or slightly-spiral surface engaging with a corresponding surface 19, formed at the upper edge of the eye-section integral with the lower portion of the drawhead, and between the upper portion of the draw-head and the upper edge of the eye-section of the knuckle 14 a space 20 is provided sufficient to permit the outward throw of the knuckle; but after the knuckle has been forced outward by any suitable device and the device so employed is disengaged from the knuckle the knuckle will automatically resume its normal position within the drawhead. 4

A release-lever 2Oa is pivoted at the inner end of the knuckle 14, the said release-lever V20a being usually of angular construction, as

shown in Fig. 5, comprising a head member 2l, which is normally vertical, and va shank member 22, normally occupying an approximately horizontal position.

The head 2l of the release-lever is adapted for engagement with an opposing knuckle when two draw-heads are' brought together and are in coupling position; but such contact between `an opposing ,knuckle and the head 21 of a releasedever is brought about only when the shank portion 22 is raised,which is effected by attaching to the shank of the release-lever a chain, rope,or its equivalent 23,Which is carried upward through an opening 24 in the top of the draw-head to any suitable point on the platform of a car or at the roof of the car. A second opening 24a in vertical alinement with the upper opening 24 is made `in the Abottom of the draw-head.

An opening 25 is made in the shank portion IOO 33 of the draw-head at or near the center of the shank, where it connects directly with the head, and a vertically-alining opening 25@ is made in the bottom of the draw-head. lVhen a coupling is effected between two draw-heads constructed as above described, the shoulders 16 of the knuckles of the two heads, after the heads have been brought together, will engage, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and when the draw-heads are to be uncoupled either one or the other of the releasinglevers 2Oa is manipulated in a manner to force the head 21 of one lever against the inner face of the opposing knuckle until the said knuckle is forced from engagement with its fellow knuckle, whereupon the two draw-heads may be readily separated.

In rounding curves and while cars are running on a steep grade there is generally a vertical movement of two coupling-heads relatively to each other. l/Vhen such motion takes place, the hook portion of a knuckle of one coupling-head may engage with the shoulder 13 of the other coupling-head, thus adding to the strength of the coupling between two cars, or, in other words, relieving the two knuckles of the increased strain due to pulling a train a-round a curve or up a grade.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a slight modification in the form of release-lever and a slight difference in the form of the knuckle designated as 14a, the difference in the formation of the knuckle being at its inner end, in which the space between the shoulder 26, corresponding to the shoulder 16, heretofore described, and the inner end of the knuckle is made sufficiently wide to admit of the releaselever 27 being pivoted thereon. lever 27 is provided with a cam-surface 28, which extends in direction of the horn 11, so that it may be brought in engagement with an opposing knuckle when two draw-heads are coupled for the purpose of separating one knuckle from the other. A chain or a rope 29 is attached to thevlever 27 and is carried out beyond the top of the draw-head through the opening 221 therein. f

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated still another slight modification in the releasing device and in the construction of the rear or inner end of the knuckle, which in this instance is designated as 14th. The knuckle is provided with a shoulder 16a, corresponding to the shoulders 16 and 26 in the other forms of knuckle, but the side surface of the knuckle adjacent to the shoulder is given an inclination 16b at its lower end, the inclination being in direction of the outer side of the drawhead adjacent to which the knuckle is located. A shaft 30 is journaled in the drawhead and likewise in the knuckle near the shoulder 16, the inner end of the shaft being provided with a tapering head 31 and its outer end witha crank 32, so that by turning the crank 32 in one direction the tapering head of the shaft moving up the inclined The releaset surface of the knuckle will force the latter to release the knuckle with which it may be in engagement.

The shank of the draw-head is provided with a vertical longitudinal slot 34 and with a horizontal opening 35 at or near its center, virtually dividing the shank into an upper and a lower section. A pin 3la is adapted to be passed through the opening 34, and the rear end portions of the shank 33 are reduced in width to such an extent as to form inner shoulders 36. The draw-bar 37 is made to enter the opening 35 in a shank, and the pin 3-1a extends through this bar. A spring 33 is coiled around the bar, having bearing against the shoulders 36 on the shank and against shoulders 3), formed upon the draw-bar casing B, as shown in Fig. 2, while the inner end of the spring 3S bears against a head 40, formed at the rear end of the said draw-bar.

Vhen the draw-head is pulled outward, the

ings 25 and 25fL or through the openings 24 and 24:a or through the openings into which the pivot-pins 15 of the knuckles are usually contained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a car-coupling, a draw-head provided with a long and short horn at opposite sides, the long horn being chambered and provided with a shoulder between its ends, at the inner side, a knuckle pivoted to swing in the chamber of the horn and having a vertical shoulder in line with the shoulder formed in the long horn, and a releasing device carried by the knuckle, substantially as speciiied.

2. In a car-coupling, a draw-head provided with a long and a short horn at opposite sides, the long horn being chambered and havinga shoulder formed between its ends, on the inner side, a knuckle mounted to swing in the chamber of the long horn and having a Vertical shoulder in line with the shoulder formed in the long horn, the said knuckle at its pivotpoint having its lower surface inclined and engaging a correspondingly-inclined surface on the draw-head, and a release-lever pivoted to the knuckle, substantially as specified.

VALENTINE ERBAOH.

Vitnesses:

M. L. BLAIR, SAML. MCORACKEN.

IOC

IOE 

